Ms Hernroth-Rothstein initially didn't want to say anything about the photo. Photo / Twitter
Ms Hernroth-Rothstein initially didn't want to say anything about the photo. Photo / Twitter
A Jewish woman has accused police in Sweden of doctoring her photo identification to give her an anti-Semitic hooked nose.
Annika Hernroth-Rothstein revealed on Twitter she was photographed at a police station near Stockholm and did a "double take" when she was given her picture back.
The 38-year-old journalist saidshe was wearing a Star of David necklace at the time and handed in employment papers from an Israeli newspaper.
She also claims her "very Jewish names" led police to alter the image taken of her.
Ms Hernroth-Rothstein told the Metro she felt "scared and uncomfortable" at the time but didn't immediately complain.
Went to get a new National ID card & passport at a police station in #Sweden, handing in employment papers from an Israeli newspaper as well as proof of ID with 2 very Jewish names (while wearing a Magen David btw). Got back my ID and my nose has been doctored as seen below. pic.twitter.com/YF6wfOOaAg
It wasn't until her "non-Jewish friend" said the act of doctoring the photo "made him sick" that she decided to speak out.
"I did a double take when I got the ID, but I actually left with it and didn't say anything because I felt really scared and uncomfortable," she told the publication.
"Then I showed it to my non-Jewish friend today and he said it made him sick and I had to say something.
"And now I'm glad I did, and I'll file a complaint because I feel encouraged by the fact that I'm not the only one seeing the anti-Semitism in this.
"As a Jew, sometimes you're scared to sound the alarm on these things because inevitably people will say 'that's a technical error' or 'you Jews are seeing anti-Semitism everywhere', but this seems pretty blatant."
Swedish police have admitted it's possible to manipulate their ID photos, according to the Metro, and are investigating Ms Hernroth-Rothstein's claims.
The accentuation of a "hook nose" is a racial stereotype used by anti-Semites throughout history, most notably as propaganda by the Nazis during World War Two.
"I felt scared and unsafe because it was government personnel who did this. It's really different from someone yelling at me in the street," Ms Hernroth-Rothstein said.
The journalist says the photo was doctored. Photo / Twitter
Swedish Police Authority spokesperson Magnus Roglert told the Metro it was investigating if the photo was manipulated or if the image was distorted due to bad resolution.
"We will, of course, take a closer look at the matter and we therefore ask the person to contact us as soon as possible," he said.
